All Souls Students Blast Off at Wacky Science Night (Photo – Ari G. Arambula)
By Ari Gutierrez Arambula
Students and their families gathered Sept. 11 for the school’s eighth annual Wacky Science Night, an evening of hands-on experiments, interactive demonstrations and science activities led by All Souls parents.
This year’s theme, “All Souls’ STEM Is Out of This World!” was especially fitting. The evening featured a model hovercraft that brought to mind the futuristic speeders of the original *Star Wars* films while giving students a chance to explore real-world principles of force, motion, air pressure, friction and engineering. The themed experiment allowed students to learn how air pressure can reduce friction and help a craft glide across a surface.
The event also provided a glimpse into a major new academic initiative at All Souls: expanding science, technology, engineering and mathematics—STEM—learning opportunities to every elementary student. The initiative is part of the school’s Academic Excellence priority and is being developed around a philosophy that has long defined the All Souls community: Parents, teachers, alumni and students can accomplish more when they work together.
“All Souls is built on the idea that we are better together,” Principal Dr. Patrick Allison said. “What makes our school exceptional is how our community comes together to enrich the school experience.”
Allison said the school plans to use the same community-based model that helped build its Mandarin and Spanish dual-language programs as it develops its STEM curriculum and activities. The goal is to tap into the professional knowledge, interests and enthusiasm of the school community to create learning experiences that are innovative, engaging and meaningful for students.
Wacky Science Night may be the best example of that philosophy.
The tradition began in 2018, when a group of All Souls parents envisioned an immersive science and engineering experience that students and their families could enjoy together. Dr. Demian Willette, an All Souls parent and professor at Loyola Marymount University, has been involved with the event since its early years. He remembers that the “wacky” part of the name has always been accompanied by plenty of enthusiasm—including the occasional appearance of his hair spiked with gel to create a “mad scientist” look during demonstrations.
But the heart of the event has always been community.
“From its beginning, Wacky Science Night has been fueled by the energy and generosity of All Souls parents,” Willette said. “Some have backgrounds in STEM, but many don’t and still believe in the value of STEM and being in community.”
The program continued even during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2020, Wacky Science Night became “Wacky Science Night @ Home.” Parents assembled science activity kits that families picked up through the school car line. Students then conducted experiments at home while participating in a live Zoom program that included demonstrations from parents.
That experience also led to an evolution in the program’s lesson plans, giving students more independence to follow instructions, experiment and explore. Eight years later, parents continue to design activities, donate materials, build demonstrations, volunteer during the event and clean up afterward.
Willette said he remains grateful for the families who have made the event possible year after year.
“Over the years, so many parents and families have stepped up to create something truly memorable for our students,” he said. “Something very ‘All Souls.’”
For Allison, that spirit is precisely what the school hopes to carry into its expanded STEM initiative.
“The expertise and enthusiasm of our parents, students, teachers and alumni are on full display,” he said.
And on Sept. 11, with children gathered around a hovercraft demonstration outside their school, science wasn’t something they simply read about in a textbook.
They got to experience it.
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Ari Gutierrez Arambula is an investigative reporter living in Alhambra. She’s a former Alhambra Commissioner who is an advocate for government transparency, accountability and authentic public engagement on issues that affect constituents.
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